Stopper assembly



April 2, 1957 F. w. MOORE STOPPERASSEMBLY Filed NOV. 29. 1955 LIN E F'IG.2

PIC-5.3

v INVENTOR. FRED W. MOORE HIS ATTORNEY STOPPER ASSEMBLY Fred W. Moore, Louisville, Ky., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York This invention relates to stoppers for the drain opening of a sink or the like, and more particularly to a stopper assembly particularly suitable for use with a foodwaste disposed of the type adapted to be secured to the sink drain.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive stopper arrangement in which a non-circular stopper may rest either on a stopper seat of similar configuration to seal the opening or in another position in which water may pass through the opening.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed and forming a part of this specification.

Briefiy stated, in accordance with one form of my invention 1 provide a drain opening assembly including a generally oval annular stopper seal preferably having raised supporting surfaces associated therewith, and a stopper of generally oval configuration adapted to rest either on the stopper seat or in a position in which the long axis of the oval stopper is displaced from the long axis of the stopper seat, whereby the opening may be either sealed or partially open so as to provide for the flow of water through the opening.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation view in section of the upper portion of a sink-mounted food waste disposer embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the stopper shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the stopper seat element shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the housing of a food waste disposer providing a comminuting chamber including grinding mechanism (not shown) in the lower portion thereof and an open upper end 2. The waste disposer is adapted for use in connection with a sink 3 having a drain opening 4 within which is mounted a tubular sleeve member 5 aligned therewith through which waste material and water may be admitted into housing 1. Housing 1, tubular member 5 and sink 3 are firmly secured together by suitable mounting means such as mounting ring 6, a plurality of mounting bolts 7, and a clamping flange 8 together with suitable sealing and shock absorbing gaskets 9 and 10. However, the particular mounting arrangement does not form a part of the present invention and other means for securing the waste disposer to the sink drain opening may be utilized if desired.

During ordinary use of the sink 3 it is, of course, necessary that some means he provided for sealing the drain opening, and also that the stopper means be movable to a position in which the drain opening is at least partially blocked while permitting the flow of water therethrough. The latter position is also useful during operation of the waste disposer, because it permits the ited States Patent 2,787,423 Patented Apr. 2, 1957 necessary flow of water into the grinding chamber while preventing the ejection of bone particles and the like during grinding operations. Accordingly, tubular member 5 is provided with an annular internal seat near its lower end portion, this internal seat being arranged to support a ledge or stopper seat which in turn is adapted to support a stopper in a sealing position and also in a second position in which the opening is partially blocked but the flow of water therethrough is permitted. This stopper arrangement is provided by making both the stopper and stopper seat similarly non-circular in configuration, so that the drain opening is at least partially blocked when the stopper rests on its seat and is sealed when the periphery of the stopper is co-extensive with the seat. Preferably the sealing position of the stopper is positively located by providing raised portions on the stopper seat on which the stopper rests in its non-sealing position. Thus the stopper seat generally designated by the numeral 11 includes a generally oval annular stopper seat 12 and a pair of raised surfaces 13 and 14 disposed on opposite sides of the drain opening across the shortest dimension of the oval opening defined by the annular stopper seat. While in the illustrated embodiment seat 12 is formed of resilient rubber-like material, other materials including metal may be utilized. Cooperating with the stopper seat 11 is a stopper 15 including a flat plate 16 of generally oval configuration adapted to engage annular sealing surface 12, and a handle 17 secured to plate 16 by suitable means such as spot welding or riveting, for example.

As shown in Fig. 1, stopper 15 may be supported in either the sealing position shown in full lines in which the periphery of stopper plate 16 rests in sealing engagement with the oval annular surface 12, or in an angularly displaced position in which the stopper rests on raised surfaces 13 and 14, as illustrated by broken lines. In the latter position water may flow through the drain opening and into the grinding chamber enclosed by housing 1 but the drain opening is blocked so as to prevent the inadvertent passage of articles from the sink into the waste disposer, and also prevent the expulsion of particles being ground in the comminuting chamber. Additionally, stopper seat 11 may include a plurality of splash guard segments 18 projecting radially inwardly from the annular seat portion so as to partially obstruct the open upper end of housing 1 when stopper 15 is removed therefrom.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, I do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular construction shown and described and I intend by the appended claims to cover all modifications within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

1. A stopper assembly adapted for use in the drain opening of a sink having associated therewith a waste disposal device including housing means providing a comminuting chamber and tubular inlet means alignable with said opening through which waste material and water may be admitted into said chamber; said stopper assembly comprising a generally oval stopper for closing said inlet means, splash guard means mounted in said inlet means, said guard means including peripheral ledge means having a generally oval portion adapted to sealingly engage the periphery of said stopper, and oppositely disposed raised portions on said ledge means for supporting said stopper above said oval portion when said stopper is lifted and rotated substantially ninety degrees about the axis of said inlet means.

2. A stopper assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which said splash guard is formed of resilient material and is removably seated on an inwardly projecting circumferential seat in said inlet means.

3. A stopper assembly adapted for use in the drain opening of a sink having associated therewith a waste disposal device including a tubular member disposed within said drain opening, connecting means for retaining said tubular member in the drain opening; and a housing providing a comminuting chamber having an open upper 1 end secured to said tubular member; said stopper assembly comprising an annular stopper seat formed of resilient material supported on an internal seat in said tubular member, said stopper seat including a generally oval annular surface and a pair of raised surfaces disposed on opposite sides of said opening across the'shortest dimenguard segments integral therewith and projecting radially inwardly therefrom so as to partially obstruct the open upper end of said housing member.

5. A stopper assembly for a sink drain opening including a generally tubular sleeve member having an inwardly projecting circumferential seat comprising a generally oval stopper for closing said opening, resilient ledge means removably seated on said circumferential seat within said tubular member for supporting said stopper, said ledge means including a generally oval portion adapted to sealingly engage the periphery of said stopper, and oppositely disposed raised portions on said ledge means for supporting said stopper above said oval portion when said stopper is lifted and rotated substantially 90 degrees about the axis of said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,418,366 Powers Apr. 1, 1947 2,573,213 Miller Oct. 30, 1951 2,730,308 Jordan Jan. 10, 1956 2,760,728 Jordan Aug. 28, 1956 

